Стража! Стража!

           Variouspublic-spiritedcitizens-"thePatrician’seyestookintheCouncilandLadyRamkin-"and,ofcourse,myself,feelthatanappropriaterewardisdue."

           Vimesstilllookedblank.

           "Reward?"hesaid.

           "Itiscustomaryforsuchheroicendeavour,"saidthePatrician,alittletestily.

           Vimesfacedforwardagain."Reallyhaven’tthoughtaboutit,sir,"hesaid."Can’tspeakforthemen,ofcourse."

           Therewasanawkwardpause.OutofthecornerofhiseyeVimeswasawareofNobbynudgingthesergeantintheribs.EventuallyColonstumbledforwardandrippedoffanothersalute."Permissiontospeak,sir,"hemuttered.

           ThePatriciannoddedgraciously.

           Thesergeantcoughed.Heremovedhishelmetandpulledoutascrapofpaper.

           "Er,"hesaid."Thethingis,savingyourhonour’spresence,wethink,youknow,whatwithsavingthecityandeverything,orsortof,or,whatImeanis...wejusthadagoyousee,manonthespotandthatsortofthing...thethingis,wereckonwe’reentitled.Ifyoucatchmydrift."

           Theassembledcompanynodded.Thiswasexactlyhowitshouldbe.

           "Dogoon,"saidthePatrician.

           "Sowe,like,putourheadstogether,"saidthesergeant."Abitofacheek,Iknow..."

           "Pleasecarryon,Sergeant,"saidthePatrician."Youneedn’tkeepstopping.Wearewellawareofthemagnitudeofthematter."

           "Right,sir.Well,sir.First,it’sthewages."

           "Thewages?"saidLordVetinari.HestaredatVimes,whostaredatnothing.

           Thesergeantraisedhishead.